


we stick together, we can see it through

by thatsn0m00n



Series: sicut quod nos sumus, in deo (we're just as god made us) [3]
Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: M/M, Post-Night at the Museum, Pre-Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian, basically a bit of a history lesson (ill site my sources and everything), entirely platonic but could be romantic IF YOU SQUINT, idk how to rate it actually, like a little less than a year after, mentions of fatherhood, rated for alcohol use and a vague prostitution mention?, short but i wanted oct to talk to jed about julia cuz i feel like she isnt mentioned enough, theres timestamps at the beginning so idk why i bother tagging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-19 11:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29749809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsn0m00n/pseuds/thatsn0m00n
Summary: Jedediah gets a history lesson from Octavius, but it's loaded down with the greatest case of emotional baggage you've ever seen.
Relationships: Jedediah & Octavius (Night at the Museum), Jedediah/Octavius (Night at the Museum)
Series: sicut quod nos sumus, in deo (we're just as god made us) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1886053
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Although they aren't confirmed to be a reincarnated Augustus and Jedediah Strong-Smith in canon... I don't care. Also, that sets them up for a lot of Latin jokes and it adds a lot of drama to their backstories which = blessed content for these two.

* * *

_ American Museum of Natural History, NYC, NY. September 2007 —8:00 PM _

Octavius woke at sundown with drills on his mind. It was the first day of the week, and therefore his men were due for a workout. When his second in command, Marcus, approached him for their evening plans, he asked him to call the men to the courtyard and run the evening’s routine. After watching for a moment, satisfied that Marcus would run the boys ragged by the time the hour was over, he made his way to the war room to make sure his other tribunes had something to do. 

Now that their campaign against the West had ended, his senior officers were often given busy work to keep them in a scheduled rhythm. Their current pet project-- creating a map their size of the entire museum. Many of the officers took shifts to venture out to the dioramas and plot new areas. It was bound to take up the entire table when they were finished, and would be important to have on hand. At least, that’s the excuse he used when he introduced the project to them. 

Since the war had ended, Octavius was having a hard time keeping his men occupied and entertained. It was almost as if they’d been left without a purpose or any sense of direction. He knew that busy work would only last so long, however. The map would be finished eventually, and then they’d have nothing to do. 

His officers met him with a nod when he entered and went back to their discussions. Octavius looked over the map, noting the two new sections that had been added the night before. Atticus had done well. 

“Any new developments?” he asked Thaddeus. The elder officer gestured to a few half-finished sheets of paper. 

“Cassius went out to finish the African Mammals exhibit yesterday but nearly got eaten by those monkeys again. We’ve had no luck past the Neanderthal hallway, either,” he grumbled, seemingly distraught by the lack of progress. “But, today he’s heading out to the Vikings’ exhibit to see if he can map it out before they’re returned from their repairs.”

Octavius thought back to a week before, when he and Jed had been taking a ride in their car. Larry had jogged crossed the lobby with a fire extinguisher in one hand and Teddy in tow. He mentioned in passing that the Viking exhibit was going to be closed for a while-- something about a successfully finished and lit funerary pyre getting the best of their fur cloaks. The concern seemed to be more on the charred fossilized driftwood than the state of their clothing, however. 

“However, Cyrus took his battalion to the library when it proved our mapmaking efforts would not be fruitful. They’ve brought back a few...pamphlets, I believe is what they’re called. I know you were interested in informational pieces as well.” 

Thaddeus gestured to the massive, unfolded piece of paper that was currently splayed across one corner of the room. One of the junior scribes was on his hands and knees, copying down the noticeably outdated map information on the inside. 

It appeared to be old, as the paper was yellowing and the corners were beginning to curl. It’s content betrayed its age as well, displaying an advertisement for a newly opening exhibit-- their own. Along with it, they promoted many of the new Roman artifacts that were to be unveiled the same week. Octavius looked through the pictures, recognizing an old, dented  _ cassis  _ or two, the odd pair of  _ caligae,  _ and sets of weapons far too rusted to be used again. He flipped one of the folded pieces over to see a few photographed statues that were joining the artifacts. Skimming over them, he was uninterested until one very familiar one caught his eye. 

_ How can it be....Is that… _

He blinked, the delicate features of the marble face bringing back memories far older than that of their diorama. 

“My liege? Is something the matter?” 

Octavius ripped his eyes from the paper and looked up to Thaddeus, whose brow was creased slightly. It was a moment before Octavius could shake his head. 

“No, I’m quite alright,” he said, quickly putting on his helmet. “I’m grateful for your work. Please keep me or Marcus updated on your progress.” 

And with that, Octavius left. 


	2. Part 2

* * *

_American Museum of Natural History, NYC, NY. September 2007 —8:15 PM_

Most nights, when Jed climbed out of the Western exhibit, Octavius came down to greet him for the night. When he didn’t, Jed opted to wait a while on the floor, looking for the familiar red swish of a cape as Octavius came over the ledge. 

But, after nearly fifteen minutes, _that_ didn’t happen either. 

“Hey, fellers?” Jed called, puzzled. Octavius never failed to at least say good evening to him. Marcus peered over the ledge and greeted him with a forced smile. 

“Hello, Jedediah,” he greeted. “What seems to be the problem?”

“Where’s Octy?” Jed asked, pulling on his hat. “He, uh, usually comes and says good evenin’ every night. So I was just wonderin’ where he might be?”

Marcus spared a glance with the soldier next to him. “He’s up here still. Let me throw you a rope.” 

Jedediah caught the thick rope and clambered up it quickly, a worrying feeling making his stomach turn. He tried to ignore it and tucked his hands into his back pockets. 

“Is he...is he sick or somethin’? Or busy?” he asked. 

_Is he mad at me? What in the blazin’ hells did_ I do _?_

“Octavius is fine,” Marcus assured, raising a hand. “But he’s…He seems to be in a mood. Since we woke up this evening, actually.” 

“Where is he?” Jed asked. He balled his hands up in his back pockets and tried to ignore the nagging voice that told him he’d done something to offend the man. 

“Back behind the Colosseum,” Marcus said, gesturing behind him. Jed brushed past him quickly without another word, jogging to the back of the Roman exhibit. He knew Octavius well enough at this point. If he wasn’t talking to him, he’d probably done something wrong. 

When he rounded the wall of the Colosseum, he saw Octavius sitting on the stony ground against the painted wall that lined the back of the diorama, his helmet on the ground. He was tossing pebbles across the way, letting them ping across the large brick walls and bounce away. It was way more unceremonious than his usual self, who would _never_ be caught sitting in the dirt in front of his men. Jed knew that for sure. 

“Somethin’ botherin’ ya, _kemosabe_?” he asked, looping his thumbs through his belt. Octavius glanced up at him and gave him a small smile, then went back to chucking pebbles. 

“Everything is fine, my friend,” he said dejectedly, obviously not trying to hide his mood. His offer of a smile at least showed that it wasn’t Jed’s fault that he was in a funk, to Jed’s relief. 

“Mind if I sit by ya?” 

Octavius shook his head, patting a spot on the ground next to him. Jed hiked up his chaps and sat in the dirt next to his friend, crossing his ankles and propping his wrists up on his knees. 

“Now, what’s troublin’ ya?”

Octavius glanced at Jed quietly, then tossed another pebble. 

“I know we both agreed that we wouldn’t talk about any of this, but…” he sighed, picking at the laces of his sandals. “Were you a father in your past life?”

Jed shook his head, thinking back to 200 years prior. Most of his memories of that time were foggy, as if they had never belonged to him and were just forced into his mind. 

“‘Fraid not, partner. Wasn’t even married, to my recollection.” 

“Hmm.” Octavius unlaced and relaced his sandals. 

“Were you a father? I mean, you’d had to have been one, right? Being the Emperor and all.”

“I had adopted many of my nephews, yes, because I needed a male heir. But I had a daughter named Julia.”

“Julia, _hm_? Pretty name,” Jed said, trying to lighten the mood. Octavius nodded, crossing his arms. 

“It was...a family name, I guess is what you would call it.” 

“Oh, yeah, I know a whole lot about family names. I was the fourth of twelve kids. Jedediah was _my_ father’s name.”

Jed twitched his nose, trying to shake the sudden tingling he felt on the side of his face. He pressed a gloved hand to his skin, as if he were expecting to feel deep claw marks running across it, and winced. 

“So, why’re ya talkin’ to me about Julia, anyway?” 

Octavius’ face dropped into a frown. He pulled his knees up to his chest. 

“I had an experience recently that reminded me of her,” he said. He turned his head a little so that Jed wouldn’t be able to look him in the eyes. “I wasn’t the most fair to her. If she were here now… I’m fairly certain she’d want nothing to do with me.” 

Octavius buried his face in the crook of his elbow, sighing deeply. Jed could tell by the way his nose twitched that he was fighting back tears. 

“Octy, I’m sure she’d love you. You’re her dad.”

“You don’t know what I did to her.”

“Yeah, I don’t. But I know that you’re a changed man now,” Jed said. 

He wasn’t a touchy-feely man, and Octavius knew this, but he still felt himself reach out and plant a hand on the Roman’s shoulder. Octavius looked up, revealing his tear stained cheeks. 

“Yer a changed man, Ockie,” Jed repeated. “And a good man, on top of that—obviously, we wouldn’t be friends if ya weren’t. An’ I don’t gotta know what you did back then if you don’t wanna tell me.” 

Octavius nodded in understanding, rubbing his face. 

“I wish I could have seen her again, before I died. To tell her that I loved her. I’m sure she didn’t think so.”

“She might’ve. You never know.”

“I banished her, Jedediah,” Octavius finally sighed. “To an island off the coast. With her mother to look over her.” He looked to his side, expecting to see shock or disgust on Jed’s face, but was surprised to see passivity. He was listening intently, arms still crossed over his knees. 

“She had been married a few times by that point. She was female, and I needed a male child to adopt as my heir, so as social customs went back then. I understand that this has changed, now.” 

Jed nodded in confirmation. 

“When I raised her when she was young, I sent her to live with Livia, her stepmother.” Octavius’s face softened a little at the thought. “I wanted for her the best life I could provide for a daughter at the time, and she was taught by the greatest teachers in Rome. She was...a delight. So kind, and so, _very_ smart. Her teachers were very impressed with her.” 

“And I trusted Livia with her, as well,” he continued, smiling a little. “Out of the wives I had throughout my life, I think she was the only one I grew to love as one.”

Jed chuckled knowingly, touching the brim of his hat as he stared forward. “I wouldn’t know.” 

“When she turned fourteen, I married her to my nephew, Marcellus. Had I not been Emperor, I wouldn’t have, but I needed a male heir. Marcellus died two years later, though, and she never bore any children.”

Octavius continued to tell Jedediah the rest of the story-- how he’d had to marry her off two more times, how rumors of her infidelity began to circle among the Senate. The two were quiet for a while as Jed sorted all the details out. He was taking the information well enough, Octavius had noticed. Better than what he’d thought anyway. 

Jed cleared his throat. “So, why’d ya have to send her away?” 

“Adultery was a severe crime, and the rumors of her behavior were starting to come to light. I...couldn’t ignore it anymore. They wouldn’t let me. They wanted me to execute her. They were convinced she was plotting against me as well. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, so I sent her to Pandateria with Scribonia to stay with her. After five years, I granted her some land and a home to live in on the mainland, and she was confined to the town. I never saw her again, after that.” 

Octavius shrugged, folding his arms across his chest. “She wouldn’t have wanted to see me, anyway.” 

Jedediah didn’t answer to any of this, but rather leaned back against the wall. He was still slowly nodding like he was still absorbing the information. When it was obvious he had nothing more to say, Octavius finally pulled his gaze off of him and went back to throwing pebbles. The quiet was unsettling, and Octavius worried that Jedediah had found reason to hate him in his faults. 

Just the idea of Jedediah hating him again made him want to curl up and wither away like a dried plant. He cursed himself internally, wondering why he ever told him the story in the first place. 

Suddenly, Jed’s hand was clamped on his shoulder again, and he was pulled back a little. 

“ _Jiminy_ , Oct, those pebbles’ll drill holes in the stone if you throw them any harder.”

When Octavius just blinked at him, he rolled his eyes. 

“I ain’t mad at ya like I know you think I am, _kemosabe_. I’m just thinkin’!” 

“You don’t hate me?”

“Oh, for the love’a--” Jed grumbled, rolling his shoulders a little. “-- _chrissakes_! No! How many times have I said it today?” he threw up his hands in desparation. 

Octavius went to count, on his _fingers_ no less, and Jedediah shifted to his knees. 

“Octy, I’ve seen the man you’ve become these past few years. I hated yer guts, remember that? An’ guess what, we came together and started gettin’ along, all because I saw what kind of man you are on the inside.” 

Octavius looked down at the hands that were glued to his upper arms, not sure where Jedediah was going. The cowboy looked mildly distraught as he continued. 

“Were you a pain in my pants before? Yeah. Are you damn near infuriatin’ with yer stubbornness? Yes. In fact, you’re worse than Clarence’s mule. But yer also smart! And strong, and braver than any other man I ever met.” 

Octavius could say nothing as Jedediah continued to stare at him. The cowboy’s eyes grew wider when he looked down and realized how close they’d gotten, and he fell back onto his end and slumped against the wall again. Jed cleared his throat. 

“Listen, ya don’t have to believe me, if you don’t wanna,” he wrapped his arms around his knees, “I just don’ like seein’ ya like this. All mopey and sad.” 

“I appreciate your efforts, Jedediah. Thank you,” Octavius sighed. “I did not realize you held me in such high regards.”

“Course I do.” Jed smiled, but then the smile turned into a mischievous grin. He shot up from his spot, startling Octavius. “And I know just what’ll cheer ya up, getcha out of this funk.” He held out a hand for Octavius to take. 

Octavius accepted it, not expecting to be hauled to his feet so quickly. He found himself being dragged away from the Colosseum and towards the edge of his exhibit, where Jedediah began to clamber down the rope at breakneck speed. 

“Where are we going?” Octavius asked, after finally gathering enough sense to follow Jed down the rope. 

“You’ll see, Toga Boy. We’ll have you gigglin’ and carefree by sun up.” 

•~•~•~•~•~•~•

The location in question was the West. More specifically, a rickety wooden building with a sign advertising it as a _saloon_ , whatever that meant. 

Octavius stood in front of the swinging double doors next to Jedediah, who had his hands clasped behind his back. 

“I believe this is your American version of a... _taberna_ , is it not?” 

“A who-now?”

Octavius thought for a moment, only slightly distracted by the clanging sound of an instrument Jedediah had called a piano coming from the inside. 

“A tavern,” he corrected, when the word finally came to him. Then, he turned suspiciously to Jed. “I thought you said you don’t drink.” 

“I don’t.” 

“So why are we here?” 

Jedediah led him up the wooden steps instead of answering. The planks creaked precariously under every footfall, and the horses tied up nearby looked unbothered by the ruckus coming from inside. 

“Ya need to relax, Octy.I heard the boys runnin’ those drills earlier, and y’all have been so worried about that map. Loosen up a little. And, I know _you_ drink.” Jed had stopped right in front of those doors, leaning against the frame. 

“So, you’re trying to get me drunk, then? You know, there are healthier ways to deal with stress--”

“I ain’t tryna get you drunk,” Jed said, rolling his eyes. “We all have fun in here, liquor or not.”

“You as well?” 

Jed snickered. “You ain’t lived ‘til you seen Clarence do his version of a Fandango.”

Octavius peered over the double doors to the dimly lit room, making out a few packed tables and some rowdy but well meaning arm-wrestling matches. 

“You sure they’ll take kindly to a Roman joining in on their...festivities?” 

“A Roman?” Jed asked, incredulous. “Some of yer boys already spend more time over here than they should be.”

Octavius pushed a sigh through his nose and resisted the immediate urge to ask Jed for their names and legion numbers. 

“Very well,” he decided, gesturing to the doorway. “Lead the way, I suppose.” 

Jedediah smugly walked through the double doors, and Octavius followed slowly. The crowd barely acknowledged his presence as he and the cowboy made their way through the swaying ruckus and towards the bar in the back. He felt very out of place in his _cassis_ in a sea of wild hair and stetsons. Jed took a seat in one of the stools, and Octavius followed suit. 

Looking around, he supposed it was somewhat like a Roman tavern. The Westerners were just as loud and drunk as they had been back then. Some of them were playing what looked like some sort of betting game with small, round pieces on the table, and others were just laughing and telling stories. The piano player seemed to have taken a short break, and had one of the many women Octavius knew occupied the upper floors of the tavern on his lap. 

Looking at her, Octavius wondered if Jedediah partook in their company as his companions obviously did. They were certainly pretty, after all. 

His train of thought was interrupted when the bartender slid a shot glass of brown liquid down his way. Jedediah must have called him for a drink. 

“What is this?” he asked, picking the small cup up. 

“Whiskey. It’s a lot harder than that wine y’all like to drink.”

Octavius raised a questioning eyebrow. 

“Or so I’ve heard,” Jedediah added, raising a hand. “Swore to my momma I wouldn’t touch the stuff, and I don’t go back on my promises to my momma.” 

Octavius lifted the glass to his nose and sniffed the contents. Jed was right-- it _smelled_ stronger than their wine. 

“Ya don’t _have_ to have it, as I said.”

Octavius waved a hand. “No, no. If I’m in the West, I may as well see what all of _this_ \--” he gestured around himself-- “is about.” 

Just to prove his point, he downed the liquor and set the glass down on the table with a satisfied _click_. 

“So, you promised your mother you’d never drink?”

Jed, who was staring at him curiously, flicked the tip of his hat. “Sure did. Sally was her name. Me and the siblin’s were ridin’ in the wagon home from church one day and saw a man get shot outside a saloon. He and the guy he’d been arguin’ with were clearly deep in the nose paint--”

“Hmm?”

“--whiskey,” Jed corrected. “Anyway, momma was ravin’ all the way home ‘bout her kids havin’ to see a man get shot in the street on a Sunday afternoon. We were already raised Methodist, so no liquor never crossed our doorstep anyhow, but she made us all promise we’d never take to drinkin’ then and there.” 

Octavius thought for a moment. “Methodist?”

“Ah, right. You come before Jesus, or after ‘im?”

Octavius tried racking his brain for some information, but his later years were somewhat foggy. “I vaguely remember Tiberius reporting one of his governors had executed a man by the name. It was _his_ section of the Empire to look over, so I didn’t pay much attention to it.” 

“Huh,” Jedediah grunted. “Fair enough.” 

A loud clang redirected his attention to the piano player. He’d accidentally elbowed the keys when another one of the ladies hopped into his lap with a giggle. Both women looked shockingly identical, with blonde ringlets and the same style of dress but in different colors. Octavius watched as they crooned over the musician, their laughs heard clearly over the clamor. 

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Jedediah asked, bringing Octavius back to the bar. 

“Hmm?” A pause, and then, “Oh, nothing.” 

Jed laughed then, stifling it behind a gloved hand. “Christ, Octy.” 

“What?” 

“Their names are Luella and Mary, if you were wonderin’.”

“Oh.” Octavius realized how his staring must have looked to Jed. “I wasn’t--”

“Oct, buddy. Don’t lie to me.” 

Octavius scoffed, crossing his arms. “I’m not the one who _knows them by name_.” 

Jed stiffened, immediately frowning. “Hey, now! I know everyone’s name, not just the ladies.” 

Seeing the rise he was getting out of him, Octavius took the opportunity to tease: “Yes, I’m sure you are quite familiar with all of them.”

The squawk Jed let out was enough to send the Roman into hysterics. He doubled over on his stool as the cowboy tried to protect his dignity, his entire face and neck flushed red. 

“It ain’t like that and you know it, ya wiley little-- if I-- if you even _think_ that I--” 

The stuttering continued, and Octavius finally got a grip, leaning on the counter. “Jedediah, I’m only teasing you.” 

Jedediah stopped throwing his fit and glared at Octavius. “I should hope to God you were! _Chrissakes_ . _You’ll_ be the one to drive me to drinking. I know it.” 

The cowboy suddenly lurched forward when a rough hand grabbed his shoulder. Octavius turned to see the man he knew as Clarence behind them, broad grin marred only by a missing tooth or two. 

“Howdy, Jed!” 

Jedediah quickly noted how drunk the other man was and rolled his eyes. “Howdy, Clare. Barnaby keepin’ the bottle away from you yet?”

Clarence slid an arm around Jed’s shoulder easily, only slightly misplacing his hat. “Not as of yet! What you fellers doin’ at the bar? I know Jed don’t drink.” 

Octavius realized the question had been aimed at him, and blinked. “Well, Jedediah thought he should show me around now that our dominions have been united.” 

“Well ain’t that a hoot! Who knew mister high’n mighty would find his way over to the West to spend his free time?”

Octavius wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or an insult, so he just nodded his head. “Indeed.” 

This sent Clarence into a giggling fit, doubling over and clutching Jedediah’s shoulder as if it were a lifeline. 

“Shoot, Jed! Ya need to have him over more. You wanna come play some poker? Octavian can come along.” 

“It’s Octavius--”

“And I don’t do any gamblin’, ya know that, Clare. Heck, Octy don’t even know how to play.” 

“It’s jus’ me an’ the boys. Jones and Charlie and I. We can play some no-stakes rounds, jus’ like the olden days, before Renaissance man here became yer ride or die.” 

_Renaissance man? Ride or die?_ Octavius still wasn’t sure if he was being insulted. 

Jed looked between Octavius and Clarence. “Whaddya say, Octy? Up for a little poker?” 

•~•~•~•~•~•~•

There was a point in the night when Octavius forgot he was Emperor. Looking back, he supposed it was somewhere in between the time Clarence ordered double shots for everyone (except Jed) and the time he finally shed his armor (quite literally) and relaxed.

As it turned out, Jed’s friends were extremely fun. Jones was a tall, toned man with dark skin and the most beautifully long set of eyelashes Octavius had ever seen on a man. His hat, which looked much like Jed’s, sat atop a dark mass of tight curls, and he had a grin that was giving Jed’s a run for his money in the crooked department. Charlie was a bit shorter, and very well groomed, with a perfectly preened beard and moustache. He was _the_ giggler of the group, however, and it became evident after a few shots that he thought that every card he moved was hiding a hilarious joke on the face side. 

“You know, I guess it ain’t fair that Charlie’s so giddy when he drinks,” Clarence said eventually, after one of their many rounds. “Octavius certainly ain’t winnin’, but he ain’t losin’ as bad as Charles.” 

Charlie laughed so hard that he slumped over, his forehead hitting the table as he snickered to himself. “Fellers,” he rasped, “I reckon it’s time for me to turn in for the mornin’.” 

“Same here, we’ll run Barnaby’s taps dry if we ain’t careful,” Jones agreed, tossing his cards down on the table. 

Octavius settled down into the booth seat he was nestled into. The piano music had since gotten a bit more tolerable, and the majority of the ruckus had drowned out. He felt impossibly warm, and having Jedediah there with him made it about the best evening he’d had in a while. 

“Whaddya say, Octy? Ready to head back across the pond?” 

“What?” Octavius asked, unfamiliar with the term. 

“Wanna go back home?” 

“Not really.” 

Jedediah rolled his eyes as Jones and Clarence snickered, and Charlie let out an even louder whoop. 

“I knew he’d catch on to our Western hospitality,” Clarence grinned, slapping Jed on the back. 

Octavius stretched, shaking his head. “I do have to attend to my men though, I suppose. They won’t do their drills if I don’t tell them to.” 

“Awww, shucks. Well, I’m glad you had a good time,” Jones said, tipping his hat. “Make sure Jed brings you ‘round more often.” 

Jed had already slid out of the booth and was standing with Octavius’s armor in hand and a look on his face that, according to the pleasant fog in the Roman’s mind, was akin to fondness. “I’m already plannin’ on it,” he said, rather certainly. It made Octavius extremely happy. 

Once Jed had helped Octavius stumble through the swinging doors and into the bright exhibit, he helped him back into his armor. Or rather, Jedediah dressed him all by himself. The hot, blinding light of the desert sun was enough to disorient him. Once the cowboy had figured out the straps, he hitched an arm under Octavius’s shoulder and led him down the steps. When he stumbled, however, Jedediah thought better of having him make the trek down the rope. 

“Octy, buddy, I don’t think I can get you back to yer exhibit safely before sunrise.” 

And just like clockwork, Larry’s voice over the intercom: _Sunrise in five minutes, everyone please make your way back to your exhibits--_ some distant, unrecognizable complaining, and then-- _Yes, that means you, Attila._

“Nonsense, Jed, I’ll be quite alright,” Octavius said, or rather tried not to slur. 

“Oct, you can’t even stand without me.” 

“So, what do you p-propose we do?” 

Jedediah looked around for a minute. “You can stay in my tent ‘til tomorrow night,” he decided, rather bashfully. 

“Oh, Jede _diah_ , already inviting me over after just one date?”

Jed whipped his head around, eyes widening. Octavius giggled. “Only kidding, friend.” 

“I oughta just toss you over the ledge and let the kids find ya in the mornin’.” Jed grumbled.

"Like you could ever part with me."

"Shuddit."

Octavius found himself surprisingly being swept up in the cowboy’s arms as he made his way across the sandy diorama. 

Too tired to argue, Octavius laid his head on the cowboy’s shoulder and shut his eyes. His wide-brimmed hat blocked out the artificial sun perfectly, and he nearly fell asleep before he felt Jed push aside a canvas tent flap. Jed had no decorations in his small home, as Octavius would have suspected. There was an unlit lantern hanging from one of the posts, a bedroll, and a crate or two that he guessed served as a chair and a table. The only luxury he seemed to allow himself was the blankets he kept. 

Octavius was set down on the bedroll, where he shut his eyes again and rolled over. “Think they’ll miss me in the morning?” he asked, bundling his cape around his shoulders. 

Jed smiled, yanking a few blankets out from under the Roman so that he could drape them across him. “Nah, you’ll only be gone for a day. I’m sure Larry can find some excuse if that museum director asks. And if not, we’ll hear about it in the evening.” 

“My men must be worried.” 

“They’ll probably figure it out.” Jed stood to leave, pushing the tent flap out of the way.

“Jed?” Octavius asked. The blonde turned slowly. 

“Yeah?”

Octavius sorted through his words carefully. “Thank you. For taking me out. I had a good time with your friends. It helped a lot.” 

Jed’s head dipped a little, his hand coming to rest on the tent post. “You’re welcome, Octy.” 

“And thank you for believing in me. You’re the best friend I think I’ve ever had, in any life.” 

The air between them grew still as they stared at each other. It was a heartfelt confession, one Octavius thought was very overdue from him by now, especially after the past few months. He waited for some sort of response, watching as Jed kneaded that tent post with a gloved hand. 

“You too, _kemosabe_ ,” then, before Octavius could say anything else, “Now, go to sleep.” 

And with that, Jedediah disappeared from view. Octavius closed his eyes, listening to the bustle of the Western camp as the Americans took their places for the evenings. It was enough of a commotion to keep him awake. He thought of Jed, standing in his spot front and center by the hulking metal beast he’d heard him call an “Iron Horse” once, and smiled fondly, burying his face in the pillow beneath his head. He was lucky to have a friend like Jedediah Smith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarence and Marcus are two ocs of mine that hopefully will be coming back for a few more rounds in this series. I've come to love the both of them and though you guys don't know them yet, I hope you will too. I've got another in mind that I'm planning on including as well, but her presence will be a little...problematic...for the boys, Jed specifically. (And no, she is not any of Oct's past wives.) I'd love to tell you her name but I'm afraid that'll give too much away. 
> 
> cassis- helmet  
> caligae- sandals  
> taberna- tavern (tabernae is plural) 
> 
> my sources if you want some light reading lmao:  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_the_Elder  
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedediah_Smith


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